MAOISTS GIVE GREEN LIGHT FOR MISS NEPAL

Maoists give green signal to Miss Nepal 2008 contest
12-Aug-2008
The Hindu

Kathmandu (PTI): Taking a U turn, the Maoists, who were earlier opposed to beauty pageants, have on Tuesday given a green signal to the organisers of Dabur Vatika Miss Nepal 2008 to hold the contest but with certain modifications.

"The Maoists have assured us that they will not obstruct the show but they have asked us to make slight modifications and give Nepali culture preference while choreographing the show," said Girendra Man Rajbanshi, managing director of the main organiser Hidden Treasure.

"We don't have swim-suit round and we have been trying to promote Nepalese culture and tradition through the event and this time we will pay special attention to that," he said.

"We will try to promote Nepali originality by minimising influence of foreign culture. We will involve all the participants in the activities related with women's rights and welfare, ending sexual discrimination and HIV /AIDS," he said.

Rajbanshi, however, denied reports that they had postponed show on August 7 due to Maoists' threat and said "We had postponed the show after reaching an understanding with them."

On Monday, the organisers had fixed August 23 as the new date.

Maoist affiliated All Nepal Women's Organisation (Revolutionary) had stormed the offices of Dabur Nepal, a joint venture of Dabur India, and Hidden Treasure last week charging that the show will provide opportunity to feudalists and capitalists to expand their business through exposing girls as products.

MAOISTS NIX MISS NEPAL

Miss Nepal pageant scrapped after Maoists object
06-Aug-2008

KATHMANDU (AFP) — A contest to choose the next "Miss Nepal" slated for Thursday was cancelled after Maoist female lawmakers denounced the beauty pageant. The former rebels emerged as the single largest party in the country's newly elected assembly and are poised to form the next government.

"We won't let the event take place. We don't need such a thing in the new federal democratic republic of Nepal where women are treated as objects of entertainment," Maoist lawmaker Amrita Thapa told AFP Wednesday. She said the Maoists would not allow an "anti-women" event inspired by "capitalist" elements.

"Such contests send the wrong message to society as they emphasise physical beauty rather than intellectual ability," said another female Maoist leader.

Girendra Man Rajbanshi, the contest organiser, said: "We had to cancel our programme at the last minute."He said they would try to change the activists' minds and stage the contest later.

The winner of the pageant gets the chance to represent Nepal at the annual Miss World contest, the organiser said.

Miss Nepal 2007 Sitasma Chand